Channellock 386

[stonesfan68]

I received these brand-new Channellock 386 bent-nose pliers the other day.

They don't look right to me. The ends do not match, and there is a gap between the two jaws on the backside.





Should I send them back or am I being too picky about a $15 pair of pliers?

 

[cmandp]

Mine were similar, had the gap between the jaws at the radius but the tips weren't the same size (they where the same length). They work fine, only cost $15 and are certainly better than the chinese ones I have, so I figured I couldn't complain.

 

[Hootbro]

Me personally, I would send them back or find a place that will let you do a warranty exchange.

For most people, that is nit picky **** but there will be times when you want those tips ends flush and true.

 

[helterskelter]

Why not just grind the tips flush if it bothers you?

 

[dirtydogintex]

Best case is a QA/QC malfunction.

I'd swap/warranty 'em out.

 

[Hootbro]

I guess Channellock seems to have a rash of these pliers being like ***. I just sent a pair in about 10 days ago to Channellock for workmanship warranty. The vendor I bought them from said the 5-6 remaining pair had the same workmanship so I just decided to send direct to Channellock as I want a functioning set of pliers.

Sorta flabbergasts me that Channellock would let such **** out the door.

 

[zer0cell]

Maybe its a new employee who is in training

 

[Outlawmws]

Maybe its a new employee who is in training

Um, let me guess; You just got a job at CL?

 

[Jim C.]

I guess Channellock seems to have a rash of these pliers being like ***. I just sent a pair in about 10 days ago to Channellock for workmanship warranty. The vendor I bought them from said the 5-6 remaining pair had the same workmanship so I just decided to send direct to Channellock as I want a functioning set of pliers.

Sorta flabbergasts me that Channellock would let such **** out the door.

I really like Channellocks, but I would not buy them if they looked like that. Fit and finish are important to me. I do check new Channellock tools before I buy them. I recently bought a pair of new 420 pliers. Of the several that were hanging on the hook, a few of them had noticeable fit and finish problems. Not all of them, but some of them. I'm kind of picky about that stuff. Maybe someone at the Channellock factory has no pride in his/her work. Like I said, I wouldn't buy those.

Jim C.

 

[allinon72]

It doesn't look like they are being bent squarely.

 

[Midman914]

Personally I think that *****. QC is very important for American made products. It's hard enough to sell to the dumbed down masses. Don't go ******* off your educated customers. I love Channelloc products and don't want to see them slip off the low quality slope. I had the same thought that maybe they have hired some new apprentices and they haven't got up to speed yet, but that doesn't explain how these got out the door. Unless they hired a Newb in the QC department at the same time. That would not be a smart business move. Now what really bothers me is the laser etching. I am a brand loyal person. I will buy a tool for for the name STAMPED on it. Dismissing a comparable tool with laser etching. If I clean a tool I want to see that name I invested my hard earned cash in. I have a set of Cman pliers and snips that I paid the extra money for. Now the **** laser etching in gone from use and it pisses me off. I know this isn't just a cost saving production process, but a way to void a warranty. I don't return my tools for any warranty replacement, unless it is defective right out of the package. In that instance the laser etching would not help them save the warranty money. I just bought two sets of Channellocs, but that's it I'm done, unless I'm in a pinch and need it yesterday. Am I being nitpicky? Probably, but it is my hard earned cash and don't care about a warranty if the tool is of A1 quality.

 

[TangoFoxTrot]

When you see stuff like this, it makes you just want to throw in the towel and buy the tools that don't try to pretend they're anything but cheap and disposable. I've got a few pairs of Harbor Freight pliers that have far better fit and finish that cost about $3-$4.

I've usually had good luck with Channellock, but I have felt for a while they were a bit overrated. Personally, I think Knipex is well worth the premium for pliers if it's something I'm going to use quite a bit. For about what I spend on a few gallons of gas, I can have a much better product that will likely last me forever.

 

[zer0cell]

I haven't had an issue with channellocks I have bought or seen in the store, maybe I just didn't look close enough. However, the example shown above clearly appears to be pretty sloppy. I wonder if Channellock simply allowed some of its less desirable ones to be shipped out at a discounted rate to the retailer...? I think that's a bad idea because it generally tarnishes their image if that's the case. I am certainly not ready to throw in the towel for channellock, not by a longshot. However, if I start seeing examples like this all over the place I have to admit I will loose my faith in them. Channellock, if you are reading this, please get on the ball and step up the QC. This is not the quality we have come to expect from you!

If you are going to sell factory seconds, at least do what Vaughan does and label them differently and make them clearly distinguishable from the top of the line stuff.

 

[ken w.]

Good reputable companies wouldn't sell seconds.I think these slipped thru. If I were to buy these off a truck vendor I would ask if I ground the tip flush would it void my warranty. If not I would.Let us know what Channelock says about the pair you sent back.

 

[Hootbro]

I guess I can do an update.

For those saying they would not select a defect pair like that, I would not either but mine were bought online from a well known vendor and were bulk packaged and mailed to me. So it was not like I had the option to pick the best off the peg rack before purchase. Nor should you have to cherry pick as that is basically saying they are on the same level as HF stuff.

Secondly, I actually received my warranty replacement from Channellock. Took about two weeks. The warranty replacement is marginally better but is nowhere near showing a nice flush closing pliers like their stock photo shows. Another thing I notice with the OP's pliers, my pliers I sent in and the replacement just received, the teeth cross-hatching on one side run about 25% longer in length than the other side.

I have to say though, if not for my distaste of the grips that come on the Craftsman pliers, I would have stayed with them. The quality of the Western Forge made pliers for Craftsman show on average a better workmanship than some of the Channellocks I have picked up lately.

I know Channellock is a Union Shop. It makes me think they have resisted quite a bit of automation that would have reduced the hand dressing they do on many of these pliers.

 

[oldldh]

USA made stuff, ain't what it used to be...

 

[stonesfan68]

I actually received my warranty replacement from Channellock. Took about two weeks. The warranty replacement is marginally better but is nowhere near showing a nice flush closing pliers like their stock photo shows. Another thing I notice with the OP's pliers, my pliers I sent in and the replacement just received, the teeth cross-hatching on one side run about 25% longer in length than the other side.

I had the same experience with my warranty replacement pliers.

 

[Hootbro]

I had the same experience with my warranty replacement pliers.

Does not surprise me. I have yet to see an actual picture in the wild of these 386 pliers that approach the quality level of the stock photo they use.

I guess bending and final fitment is a voodoo science for Channellock.

 

[zx2slow]

Just got a set, it looks like the tips were ground at an angle rather than flat. Went to the shop to do an exchange, there was just one more on the shelf and it looked like the ones in the first post.

Anyone able to get a good replacement with flush tips?

 

[Dale Leeds]

I guess Channellock seems to have a rash of these pliers being like ***. I just sent a pair in about 10 days ago to Channellock for workmanship warranty. The vendor I bought them from said the 5-6 remaining pair had the same workmanship so I just decided to send direct to Channellock as I want a functioning set of pliers.

Sorta flabbergasts me that Channellock would let such **** out the door.

Those do look pretty crappy. I'm surprised since they are Channelock's brand.

 

[TJx]

I have a pair of 388's on the way from Amazon, I'll post if there is anything off about them.

 

[toolman0217]

Here is a pair I bought a few months back.

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[Hootbro]

Here is a pair I bought a few months back. ..............

That is NOS made pair when they still roll stamped the branding. About the same level of quality of my recently received warranty swap from Channellock. Still though, the tips on that pair do not even come flush either. Usable but not exactly as how they show and advertise them.

 

[bobemmerich]

Maybe it's their way of trying save a buck by closing a plant due to "Sufficient quality deficiencies" in the workmanship and tooling, and shipping it off to China?????????

 

[Hootbro]

Maybe it's their way of trying save a buck by closing a plant due to "Sufficient quality deficiencies" in the workmanship and tooling, and shipping it off to China?????????

Doubtful as there is only the one plant in Meadville, PA.

I have watched more than a few videos of Snap On, Klein and Channellock production here in the USA. You can tell that Channellock still does a lot of functions by hand that would be automated elsewhere. That lack of of automation gives the inconsistent grinding and dressing on many of their products I have seen.

 

[mayhemman]

i think part of the issue is with bending the tool. that will cause lots of inconsistancy in products.

though that doesn't mean they shouldn't at least get the tips flush. i think the misalligned teeth would bother me more and the fact they don't close as nicely as i would like.

i could live with them myself but i wouldn't go out of my way to buy them at retail after looking at them this much.

 

[zx2slow]

The pair I got look similar to these, the tips are ground at an angle. The pair I got at harbor freight seems to have better build quality (Material quality is clearly different).

 

[TJx]

Here is a pair of E388's I just got.

 

[Brownsfan]

I just bought a set today and mine were almost perfect. The nose lined up perfect.

 

[Hootbro]

I just bought a set today and mine were almost perfect. The nose lined up perfect.

Can you post a pic? Would love to see an actual well made pair outside a stock Channellock photo.

Thanks,

Hootbro